Cut the puff pastry into rectangles (5cm x 2cm). Allow 3 per mille feuille. Bake the puff pastry rectangles for 15 minutes with another baking tray on top to keep them flat.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

2. FOR THE CREAM:

Split the vanilla pod in half and scrape out the seeds.

Lightly beat the sugar, egg yolk and the whole egg with a tablespoon of the milk. Add the flour and stir well, making sure the mixture is free of lumps. Bring the remaining milk, cream and vanilla to the boil and then pour over the egg mix and combine. Return to the heat and cook until the mixture is thick and the flour is cooked. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Once cool, place in a piping bag.

3. FOR THE SYRUP:

Zest and juice the oranges.
Place the orange zest and the orange juice into a small sauce pan with the sugar and bring to the boil. Once the syrup is boiling, lower the heat and reduce the liquid until it is thick and sticky. Allow to cool.

4. FOR THE FRUIT AND THE ICING:

Cut the berries into quarters and cover brush them with the syrup using a pastry brush.

Warm the glucose syrup with the water until it is all liquid. Whisk in the icing sugar.
Melt the chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl over simmering water and then transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag.

Take a third of the pastry rectangles and place them on a cooling rack. Coat with the fondant icing. Once they are coated with the fondant, cut a small piece from the end of the piping bag and drizzle the pastry with the chocolate.

Allow the icing to set before assembling.

5. TO ASSEMBLE THE MILLE FEUILLE:

Cover the bottom layer of pastry with berries and then place another layer of pastry on top. Pipe
on the crème patissiere and then add another layer of the berries on top.

Place the piece of iced pastry on the top.

Chef's tip

«This classic French dessert can be adapted in many ways by varying the fruit and also the flavouring in the creme patissiere. Fresh strawberries with a pistachio flavoured cream would work very well.»